Commonwealth v. Jamiel Douglas Graves; Man Sentenced to Life without Parole for Killing the Mother of his Children

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 · 01:45 pm

Colin D. Stolle, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Virginia Beach, announced today that Jamiel Douglas Graves, age 31, who previously resided in the 9300 block of Marlow Avenue in Norfolk, Virginia, pled guilty and was sentenced today by Circuit Court Judge Glenn R. Croshaw for Capital Murder-Killing of More than One Person in a 3-Year Period.Pursuant to a plea agreement, Judge Croshaw sentenced Graves to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Had this matter gone to trial, the Commonwealth’s evidence would have proven that on November 26, 2012, the victim, Mandi Sue Myers, did not show up for work. Her co-workers called her sister, who went to Mandi’s house to look for her. Mandi’s house was locked, so she forced her way into the home. Eventually she found Mandi inside her bedroom closet, lying motionless.Emergency personnel responded to the home and declared Mandi deceased at the scene.An autopsy later revealed that the cause of death was strangulation with blunt force trauma to the head contributing.

Investigators learned that Jamiel Graves, the father of Mandi’s children, was in the home the night before Mandi was found dead.Graves was located at hotel in Norfolk with Mandi’s car. When questioned by investigators, Graves admitted to killing Mandi in her bedroom and putting her body in her closet.

Upon hearing about his arrest, Graves’ parents searched his bedroom in the home he shared with them in Norfolk.They found the decomposing body of their neighbor, Phylicia Robinson, who was reported missing almost two months earlier. When questioned about Robinson’s death, Graves admitted that he murdered her in the same way he murdered Mandi.Robinson’s body had been in his closet since early October.Graves also pleaded guilty in Norfolk Circuit Court to the charge of Capital Murder-Killing of More than One Person in a 3-Year Period, and was likewise sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.